Press Releases
The Assist Group Introduces New Pediatric Management Program
Comprehensive Care Management Program Improves Clinical and Financial Outcomes for Pediatric Conditions
Lakewood, Colo., March 25, 2008
The Assist Group, the industry leader in integrated disease management and claims resolution services, today announced the introduction of the CareAssist Pediatric Management Program, an expert physician-driven care management service designed to enhance clinical and cost outcomes for critically ill children, families and payers through a comprehensive, collaborative team approach.
"Critical pediatric care has become increasingly complex and costly in recent years, and there has been a corresponding rise in the need for specialized care management for these fragile patients," says Beverly White Freedman, President and CEO of The Assist Group. "The new CareAssist Pediatric Management Program will allow us to bring our proven record of effecting change with maternal and newborn management programs to this important arena."
The Pediatric Management Program uses CareAssist's highly effective comprehensive expert team approach to enhance both clinical and cost outcomes, and deliver optimal results for critically ill children, their families and payers. Benefits can include resolution of key medical issues, innovative evidence-based solutions to ongoing problems, improvements in quality of care, family education and training, and reduction in patient length of stay and medical costs.
A multi-disciplined expert team is assigned to each case, including a pediatric intensive care specialist and pediatric nurse care manager. Working with the child's treating team, these experts evaluate each case individually, then design and implement a customized outcome-driven management plan for the patient focused on delivering appropriate, high quality care.
Follow up occurs on a regular basis to evaluate the patient's progress and update the care plan. Care managers provide families with the education and resources that they need to achieve a safe and timely discharge from the hospital or improve care in the home setting. The client receives a detailed outcome report, including costs, clinical outcomes and any additional recommendations.
About The Assist Group
The Assist Group is the industry leader in integrated disease management and claims resolution services, leveraging advanced technology and industry experts to develop the next generation of claims management solutions. The Assist Group's products include CareAssist, offering complete clinical and financial management of complex maternal-newborn conditions, and ClinAssist, providing comprehensive complex claim resolution services, from initial screening through settlement that can significantly reduce costs. Founded in 1999, The Assist Group has offices in Lakewood, Colorado, and Irvine, California. To learn more, please visit www.assistgroup.com.
The program can be customized to meet each payer's care management requirements, including referral criteria, communication and reporting, resource allocation and outcome measures.
Children admitted to hospitals for pediatric illness have a longer than average length and higher per diem cost than neonates, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, averaging almost $3,000 per day. Total cost for hospitalizations for pediatric illness is twice the amount of average neonatal hospitalization charges.
About The Assist Group
The Assist Group is the industry leader in integrated disease management and claims resolution services, leveraging advanced technology and industry experts to develop the next generation of claims management solutions. The Assist Group's products include CareAssist, offering complete clinical and financial management of maternal, newborn and pediatric conditions, and ClinAssist, providing comprehensive complex claim resolution services, from initial screening through settlement that can significantly reduce costs. Founded in 1999, The Assist Group has offices in Lakewood, Colo. and Irvine, Calif. For more information, visit our web site at www.assistgroup.com